Despite all of Ford’s racing success in the 1960s, it took them a while to crack the code for a really competitive bread-and-butter street performance combination. Hot Rod magazine pointed this out by starting a letter writing campaign (of all things), and Ford responded in mid-1968 with the 428 Cobra Jet, which was the perfect combination of off-the-shelf parts that didn’t cost too much to buy. It was also available with most popular options, such as power steering and even air conditioning. The very next year, Ford introduced a Road Runner fighter to showcase their new engine, the Cobra (the brochure doesn’t call it a Torino, in case you were curious). Aside from the various muscle Mustangs, is the Cobra the most valuable Ford muscle car? This example on eBay will need some refurbishment, but it’s a solid base to start with.
The first thing to look for on any Ford with a unibody (or any car at all) is the undercarriage. Anyone who is familiar with Fords can recognize that this is a solid car. Look at the pinch welds and the torque boxes – no problems here. The seller says that the only significant rust is in the quarter panels behind the wheelwells. The car is currently in South Carolina and has an Atlanta DSO number on the door tag, so it seems like it’s been a southern car all its life.
The red paint is not original to the car; it has an old repaint over the factory “Indian Fire,” which was a neat coppery color that would be a beautiful choice if someone restores this Cobra.
Here’s what makes the Cobra special, the optional R-Code Ram Air 428 Cobra Jet, producing 335 horsepower (but probably a little more in reality). The CJ could push a Cobra to a quarter-mile trap speed of 100 mph or more, which shows that it was making some power. Interestingly, this one has a 3:00:1 Traction-Lok axle behind a C6 automatic. That’s not a good gear for the drags, but you could probably push 140 mph given enough road. Being located down in NASCAR country, it would have made for a heck of a moonshine runner.
I’m dreaming again. Notice the air conditioning compressor up top? It’s possible that the 3.00 gears were standard with air; perhaps our Ford fans can verify that fact. By the way, the engine runs well, according to the seller.
The interior is spartan, with black bucket seats and a column shifter for the C6. Judging by the brake pedal and the lack of a power booster on the firewall, this may be a drum-braked Cobra. A fascinating time, the ’60s. If that’s true, we have an air-conditioned Ram Air Cobra Jet with power steering and manual drum brakes.
The interior looks dirty more than anything; it’s possible that a carpet and a headliner are all that you’ll need. As always, a closer inspection is required.
There’s no doubt about it, this is a serious Ford muscle car, so you’re not going to buy it cheap. The high bid is currently $15,100 (as of Friday), but there’s a “Buy It Now” option of $24,999. It will cost a lot to restore it, but I’d love to see pictures of this car at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals in Chicago in the coming years, all dressed up in its Indian Fire paint. How about you?
Torino Cobra cruiser. Tall gears, AC. Highway special. 🏁 😎
Nice ride with the cobra jet 😎
A friend of mine as one just coming out of the paint shop. 68 or 69 cant remember
351/C6 candy apple factory color and repaint is the same. Its a fabulous looking car. Drives well and sounds incredible. The 351 has plenty of go so I can only imagine what the cobra jet feels like.
Good luck to buyer and seller.
The story about Hot Rod and the letter writing campaigned has long been debunked,the time between it starting the CJ coming out was so short and the 3 month leadtime of stories made it impossible.The more accurate account is in 1967 Tasca Ford created the KR8 taking a 390 adding 427 heads a PI intake and better carb.That is what got Ford moving thier butts..lol
Sorry..a 428 PI with 406 Nascar heads
I’m kind of wondering how this car ended up with that color carpet but no matter. It needs replacement and the headliner too. Clean those black vinyl buckets made from the hides of Naugas, upgrade the brakes to power discs all around and you’ve got one sweet ride. The quarter panel rust shouldn’t require sheet metal replacement I think.
ck out that last pic. They say ‘a photo never does justice…’ but I’d disagree w/this un. Stand beside (3/4 rear or full rear) this bad boy’n the FB runs out like an aircraft carrier deck! (hinge that @ the top, above the window, remove interior back of frnt seats = sompin imilar to movie “2 Lane Black Top”).
Wasnt there 1 notch above offered “Spec.Order” to the public? the “Super CJ” ?
I remember so well that ford dash (4 portholes) in several era mid or longer WB models (500, fairlane, thunderbolt, ‘chero, galaxy, torino). A gearhead child hood friend (now driving age) hada Galaxy, it’s 2 right hand ‘portholes’ carried his 2 packs-a Marlboros. First time he drove me he said “If you can grab those smokes they’re yours.” As I reached he hit the throttle and all I saw was the telephone lines, could not lift my arm…
Today he might put the WC T5 behind that big FE, add discs, lower, frame stiffeners, etc. Nota ‘drag guy’. These would need alot for the twisties as they’re sucha boat, will kick U back if tryin to toss about…
Dear Site Admins.. Please provide a translator with every post this yahoo makes. Try as I might.. his gibberish never makes any sense and causes many shakes of the head and a face palm. I’m sure I’m not the only one that thinks this guy’s marbles have made their way into his mouth.
Thank you
Crazy competition in late 60’s.
Read that 428 CJ start was in late 1966 at Tasca Ford in Rhode Island.
Both Bobby Tasca and Service Mgr Billy Gilbert used a production 428-4V Police Interceptor engine, not the 390 they were so disappointed in, in Bobby Tasca’s 1967 Mustang for their efforts to beat the stiff Mopar and Chevy competition.
427 heads and lots and lots of tinkering and over 2 dozen changes + (carb, exhaust, etc etc) led to their 1967 Mustang test mule that was shown and “sold in” to Fords upper mgmnt.
CJ heads came later after development and certification.
1967 model Shelby GT500s built with 428-4V PI, no CJ yet, because only that mill was EPA certified.
Good luck with sale!
I’m a little biased as I’m now a full on Chevy guy, but I’ve owned two 1968 Torino GT’s. One when I was 18 with a factory high performance 390. We were cruising down a wide open Montana highway at about 80MPH in 1977, (me and my buddy Dave) when we got passed buy what I assume was a 454 GMC pickup?? Dave says “you gonna let him get away with that”? I said what should we do chase him? Hell yeah. So I chased him for miles and couldn’t pass that pickup with my high performance 390. Those cars never held a candle to a good Nova or Camaro.
This one is very similar to the Cobra my father bought when I was 14. Light blue, bench seat, black NaugaHide, automatic on the column, under-dash ARA Air Conditioner. I never did know what the rear gears were, likely the same 3.00:1 as the top end was way out there. There was no peg on the speedometer and I saw it wind all the way around to the ’20’ again, which should have been somewhere around 160-170. One of Dad’s friends rolled it with only 8,000 miles on it. Nowadays they would have fixed it with no problem, but the frame machines hadn’t been invented in 1969. I still have the spare wheel from it, Dad made it into a garden hose reel for the shop.
If I had the money it would be restored
As is.